E-Team

Human Rights Watch (HRW) is one of the most competent human rights organizations in the world. Their reports, famous for their objectivity and fairness, condemn any sort of human rights violations, not only in countries ruled by ruthless dictators, but also in so-called older democracies. The E-Team (Emergency Team) of the title is a team of HRW experts who, in moments of crisis involving the most serious crimes, often risking their own lives, examine fresh evidence, record the testimony from witnesses, and collect physical evidence. The filmmakers accompany the members of the E-Team during several dangerous missions. The nervous handheld filming almost allows us to physically feel the constant stress that accompanies their work. Anna and Ole head to Syria to investigate government forces’ use of cluster bombs, which are banned under international law. The camera captures the details of their trip from up close: a mad dash across the border between Turkey and Syria, moments of terror under fire, the despair of people who lost loved ones only moments before, and Anna’s unexpected confession, as she tells her husband she is pregnant. More missions, more countries: the four protagonists travel again and again to places of conflict with the hope that revealing the truth will, in the end, force the international community to act. [kw]